Last Friday about noon, Charlie Keeler from the City Clerk’s office room, saw two tramps go over toward the Stuart Hotel. They looked into the windows and then went north a little ways and stopped. They returned to the hotel and looked in again. One of the tramps went into the office while the other one went west past the city building. The man came out of the hotel and joined his companion.
Charlie went over to the hotel and asked Mrs. Hanson if she had been in the office. She replied that she had not. He then ask [sic] her to look in the money drawer. She did so and discovered that all the money was gone but a few pennies. Fortunately there had been less than a dollar in the drawer.
Mr. Keeler then went up town to look up some officers. He and Sam Kirlin found Clabe Wilson and the three went to the Rex Cafe where the men were found. They were taken before Justice Taylor, who released them but ordered them out of town. No one had seen the men take the money and it was thought best not to hold them.
From the August 4, 1922 Stuart Herald
You can see how close the hotel is to the depot. I wonder if Stuart had trouble with “tramps” often since they were right along While Pole Road and also the Rock Island Railroad.
My grandfather, Clabe Wilson, because the Stuart night watchman after Mr. Myers was killed during a bank robbery attempt.
2024: The Stuart Hotel has been renovated and is looking for renters.